On Monday night an attempt to assassinate Mr. Roosevelt was
made by a man called Schrank at Milwaukee. Mr. Roosevelt had just entered his motor car on his way to a meeting when he was shot in the breast. The bullet pene- trated about three inches and narrowly missed the lung. Had not the bullet hit the MS. of Mr. Roosevelt's speech and also a steel spectacle case it is very likely that Mr. Roosevelt would have been killed. As it was, he made very light of the affair, and some of his companions did not know till some time later that he was wounded. He prevented the crowd from lynching Schrank. With his usual indomitable spirit he insisted on going to the meeting, and spoke for over an hour and a half, though he was compelled by weakness to stop before he had finished what he meant to say. He showed his blood-stained shirt to the audience, and declared that it was only to be expected that weak and vicious minds should be inflamed to violence by the foul abuse and mendacity that had been heaped upon him. Mr. Roosevelt is progressing favourably, though the wound is serious. Mr. Taft and Dr. Woodrow Wilson both telegraphed their sympathy and hopes for Mr. Roosevelt's speedy recovery. Schrank is a lunatic obsessed by the idea that Mr. Roosevelt would commit a crime by becoming President for a third term. All Mr. Roosevelt's English friends, and they are many, will devoutly hope that his recovery may be rapid and complete. We trust that Mrs. Roosevelt will be able to prevent him making speeches before his wound is really healed.
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